Welcome to the first countdown post in our series of MLB team rankings for the 1970s. Expansion continued in the 1970s, with four new teams added for the 1977 season, adding to the four that started play in the 1969 season. As a reminder, the teams are ranked from #20 through #1 based on aggregate WAR162. For the 1970s (1970-1979), a total of 252 team-seasons were eligible, so the top 20 teams are a rather exclusive group – the top 8% for the decade. We’ll summarize each team, including portions of their team dashboard, and explain how they attained their ranking. So, without further ado, here are the teams ranked #20 through #16.
Here’s the interactive dashboard at Tableau Public: 1970s Top 20 MLB Teams Dashboard
#20: 1978 New York Yankees, 51.2 WAR162
The 1978 Yankees famously captured the AL East after a furious stretch run, ultimately defeating the Red Sox in a single-game playoff. They then defeated the Royals 3 games to 1 to win the AL pennant, and then beat the Dodgers in six games to win the World Series.
The Yankees had a good, but far from dominant, offense. Their 735 runs ranked 4th in the AL, and they ranked 6th in both BA and OPS. Pitching separated them from their rivals, as they led the league in ERA, WHIP, and hits per 9 innings, and ranked second in strikeout-to-walk rate and strikeouts.
Graig Nettles (.276 BA, 27 HR, 93 RBI, Gold Glove) and Willie Randolph (.381 OBP, 87 runs, 36 steals) led the offense in 1978, with considerable support. Reggie Jackson added 27 homers and 97 RBI, Lou Piniella batted .314, Mickey Rivers stole 25 bases, and Thurman Munson batted .297 from his catcher’s spot. Ron Guidry had a sensational year, winning the AL Cy Young Award with a 25-3 record, 1.74 ERA, 9 shutouts, and a 0.946 WHIP, all best in the league. Ed Figueroa went 20-9 with a 2.99 ERA, and closer Goose Gossage compiled 27 saves with a 2.01 ERA.
#19: 1977 Philadelphia Phillies, 51.8 WAR162
The Phillies broke through in the 1970s with several excellent teams, after decades of finishes near the bottom of the NL. The 1977 team claimed the NL East crown by 5 games over the Pirates, before losing to the Dodgers in the NLCS round.
The Phillies had a powerful offense that led the NL in runs scored with 847, 45 more than their closest rival. They ranked 2nd in homers, 4th in stolen bases, and first across BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS. Pitching was not as strong as the team’s hitting, with 4th-place ERA and 5th-place WHIP rankings (out of 14 teams).
Mike Schmidt was the clear offensive leader, bashing 38 home runs with 101 RBI, 114 runs, and a Gold Glove on defense. Greg Luzinski added 39 homers with 130 RBI and a .309 BA, while Bake McBride batted .339 with 27 steals in just 314 plate appearances. Garry Maddox won a Gold Glove in center field while also batting .292 and stealing 22 bases, and Larry Bowa stole 32 bases and batted .280. Steve Carlton was the mound star, posting a 23-10 record and 2.64 ERA to claim the Cy Young Award.
#18: 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers, 51.8 WAR162
The Dodgers repeated as NL West division winners by 2.5 games over the Reds in a competitive race, and once again defeated the Phillies in 4 games to claim the NL pennant. Their good fortune ended with a 6-game World Series defeat to the Yankees.
The Dodgers rode a balanced offense that featured both speed and power. Their 149 homers topped the NL, while their 137 steals tied for 5th in the 14-team NL. The team ranked first in each of the percentage metrics – BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS. Pitching was also a strength, as the Dodgers’ staff ranked first in ERA, 2nd in WHIP, and 3rd in strikeout-to-walk rate.
Ron Cey topped the Dodgers positional WAR, but was followed closely by three teammates. Cey had a .380 OBP with 23 home runs and 84 RBI, while his infield teammate Davey Lopes stole 45 bases, scored 93 runs, and hit 17 homers. Steve Garvey batted .316 with 21 homers and 113 RBI, and Reggie Smith added 29 home runs, 93 RBI, and a .295 BA. Burt Hooton led the effective pitching staff with a 19-10 record and 2.71 ERA, followed by 21-year-old Bob Welch, who went 7-4 with a 2.02 ERA in just 13 starts.
#17: 1975 Los Angeles Dodgers, 52.0 WAR162
The 1975 Dodgers were not smiled on by good luck – their Pythagorean win projection had them at 95 wins, versus the 88 they actually won. It would hardly have mattered, as the Reds went 108-54 to run away with the NL West title.
The Dodgers’ offense in 1975 was essentially a league-average offense, with a few bright spots. They ranked second in stolen bases, but were just 4th in homers, 8th in runs scored, and 9th in BA in the 12-team NL. Playing in pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium certainly didn’t help their offensive production. The Dodgers’ pitching staff was very effective, ranking first in both ERA (2.92) and WHIP (1.132). They also walked the fewest batters while striking out the 2nd-most for the season.
Third baseman Ron Cey led the Dodgers’ offense in 1975, with a .283 BA, 25 home runs, and 101 RBI. Davey Lopes led the NL with 77 steals and scored 108 runs, and Steve Garvey batted .319 with 95 RBI. Veteran outfielder Jim Wynn walked 110 times on the way to a .403 OBP. The pitching was led by Andy Messersmith, who led the NL with 19 complete games and 7 shutouts on his way to a 19-14 record and 2.29 ERA. Veteran Don Sutton led the NL in WHIP and won 16 games, and Doug Rau posted a 15-9 slate. Burt Hooton went 18-7 with a 2.82 ERA to round out a formidable rotation.
#16: 1978 Milwaukee Brewers, 52.2 WAR
The 1978 Brewers trailed both the Yankees and Red Sox in a competitive AL East pennant race, finishing 6 games back before their one-game playoff. The Brewers were projected for 97 wins, so luck was not on their side in 1978.
The Brewers had a powerful offense that led the AL in runs with 804, just ahead of the Red Sox. They also ranked first in home runs, BA, OBP, SLG, and OPS, capitalizing on a multitude of contributors. The Brewers pitching was not as strong as their offense, placing 8th in ERA and 4th in WHIP. Their pitching staff didn’t beat themselves; they walked the fewest batters in the league.
Sal Bando and Larry Hisle led the Brewers’ balanced offensive attack. Bando batted .285 with 17 homers, 78 RBI, and 85 RBI. Hisle had a career year with 34 homers, 115 RBI, and a .290 BA, followed by 22-year-old shortstop Robin Yount, who batted .293 with 16 stolen bases. Versatile infielder Don Money batted .293 with 88 runs scored, and Ben Ogilvie batted .303 with 18 home runs. Sixto Lezcano (.292 BA, 15 homers) and Gorman Thomas (32 homers, 86 RBI) were also major contributors. The Brewers had two top-flight pitchers, but little depth behind them. Lefty Mike Caldwell posted a 22-9 record with a 2.36 ERA and AL-best 23 complete games with 6 shutouts. Larry Sorensen went 18-12 in his age-22 season; both Caldwell and Sorensen walked fewer than two batters per 9 innings.
Summary
That’s it for the first entry in our MLB Team Rankings for the 1970s decade! Stay tuned for the countdown from #15 to #11, arriving in a few days. As always, thanks for reading!